We have a tradition in our family, which makes December one of the most wonderful times of the year. Every day, we do a little something special to get in the holiday spirit and spread some holiday cheer. Advent! This year, it's going to be a new adventure as we're in a new city and totally new climate - today it was 82 degrees! It still feels a lot like summer, but while it may not look like the Christmas we are used to (lots of palms, but no pine trees here), it IS beginning to feel like Christmas. I'm still kind of scrambling to put everything together, but I've got a good start and will tweak as I go along. I've been researching all the fun things there are to do here in Austin this time of year, and there are many! I fully admit my heart is a little sad when I think about missing out on some of our Seattle favorites (My very favorite Santa at Pike Place Market, The Great Figgy Pudding Street Corner Caroling Competition - Llew Crew!, Argosy Christmas Ships at the beach, and Greenlake Pathway of Lights, you will be sorely missed!), but I am also super excited to start some new traditions right here in Austin, Texas!
Here's how our Advent works: Each morning, the kids get to open the door of our little advent calendar, where they find a little treat (chocolate or mini candy cane) and two little notes. The first note is a scripture. So, we open our Scriptures and read a story from the life of Christ, which illustrates one of his attributes to which we can aspire. The next note tells us what fun activity we get to do that day. It could be something simple, or more elaborate, depending on the day. Then, each evening, once everyone is ready for bed, the kids get to take turns each night picking out a book to unwrap and read together by candlelight. They LOVE this tradition! I wrap up all of the books we have collected, and then substitute the rest with books from the library, until our collection expands enough to have a book for each evening.
Here is our list for 2012 - Let the fun begin!
1. Children Giving to Children Parade. (bring new toys to donate)
2. First Presidency Christmas Devotional. (you can find info to watch a live stream here)
3. Polar Bear Plunge (it's supposed to be over 80 degrees so it shouldn't be too bad...but we'll warm up afterward with our annual hot chocolate party - a la mode with peppermint ice-cream!)
4. Craft: make a starry garland (inspired by this one from the Land of Nod)
5. Address and Mail Christmas Cards and Packages
6. Make and decorate Christmas Sugar Cookies (bring 3-4 dozen to share tomorrow at the Musical Fireside)
7. Listen to Christmas Music at Stake Musical Fireside
8. Pick out a Christmas Tree. Luminations @ Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center (bring canned goods to donate to food bank)
9. Decorate Christmas Tree
10. Christmas Movie Night: A Charlie Brown Christmas
12. Make Homemade Eggnog and Eggnog French Toast for dinner!
13. Write letters to Santa and pay him a visit.
14. Tidings of Comfort and Joy - church dessert potluck and service, anyone is welcome to join us - info here and sign up here.
15. Find Baby Jesus at Main Street Bethlehem (Burnet, TX).
16. Make Gingerbread Houses
17. Read "The Legend of the Candy Cane" and make Candy Cane Cookies. If you don't have the book, you can use this resource.
18. Dance it Ourselves - The Nutcracker (I will make masks - inspired by these - and play our favorite Tchaikovsky suite, so we can be super silly and dance around the living room! Our kids know the story and the ballet well, so they'll have a blast! Maybe next year we can actually attend the real ballet :)
19. Make some snowballs and build a snowman (snowball cookie recipe here, and felt snowman for the kids to dress up - inspired by this one)
20. Twinkle Party - sleepover in the living room by the Christmas Tree. Admire the lights until we fall asleep.
21. The Christmas Express! (Idea from here) I'm toying of decorating our little red wagon with special lights to be a "sleigh" and piling the kids in with hot chocolate and popcorn and just strolling around our neighborhood (instead of driving somewhere) once they hand over their tickets. There's so many great houses decorated around here, it would be fun to go out on foot this year - and then come home and watch The Polar Express together.
22. Zilker Park Trail of Lights and Tree. We plan to do some dancing and spinning under that huge tree (we hear it's tradition)!
23. Christmas Carol to Family & Friends afar via Skype & FaceTime - so be signed into your accounts in case you get a call!
24. Christmas Eve Box (inspired by this one)
Other fun local events/ideas I found that won't work with our schedule this year (but I'm taking note in case they work next year!) And if any locals happen to read this and can think of any other favorites to add to this list, please leave a comment! Thanks!
-Zilker Park Tree Lighting Ceremony
-Merry Movie night under the stars - this year was Charlie Brown Christmas and A Christmas Story. How fun would that be?
-Holiday Sing-A-Long and Downtown Stroll - Capitol Building
-Cut down a native tree at the Elgin Christmas Tree Farm
-Play in REAL SNOW at snow day at the Hill Country Galleria
-Local school - Ballet Southwest Academy's production of The Nutcracker - it's slightly shorter (1.5 hours) and a bit more family friendly, yet still a great production. OR Austin City Ballet's Children's Nutcracker.
-Ice skating (a rarity in Texas!) on the top of Whole Foods Flagship store, downtown on Lamar, up on the plaza.
-Handel's Messiah, or the Sing-it-Yourself version.
-The Polar Express Story time at Barnes and Noble
-37th Street Lights - craaazy lights!
-Wimberley Trail of Lights
No comments:
Post a Comment